Edward Wilfred Fairfax was born in Sydney, the sixth son of James Reading Fairfax whose father, John Fairfax, had been one of the founders of the Sydney Morning Herald, and the original owner of the building which, ninety years later, became the office of the College. He was educated at Bath College, England, and at the Sydney Grammar School. He studied medicine at the University of Sydney and graduated in 1899. After completing a year of residency training at the (Royal) Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, he continued his studies in England. In 1903, soon after his return from England, he was appointed to the honorary medical staff of the RPAH, commencing a remarkable career of service to the Hospital, which was to continue until his death in 1952, and to include a period as a member of the board of directors. In the same year he married Marguerite Lamb, and there were two sons and a daughter of the marriage.

His life was said to be quiet and unassuming, and he was always conscious of the needs of the less privileged with whom he was so closely associated when he commenced practice in Liverpool Street, Sydney. In keeping with this interest he gave his services freely to such organisations as Dr Barnardo's Homes, The Bush Nursing Association and the Boys' Brigade. He had an additional interest in the aerial medical services for the people in the remote areas of New South Wales. He was a respected clinical teacher and held an appointment at the University of Sydney as a lecturer in clinical medicine from 1912 to 1934.

His opinion was also valued in the business community and he served as a director of the family company John Fairfax & Sons, the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, and the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney.

His medical appointments included those of honorary physician to St Vincent's Hospital, 1913-20, honorary consulting physician to the Royal Hospital for Women, and honorary physician to the sanatoria of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Red Cross Society, 1919-24. In addition he was physician-in-charge of the tuberculosis department of the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, from 1919 to 1924.

During the First World War he served as physician to the First Australian General Hospital at Rouen in France and as consulting physician to the British Fifth Army, with the rank of colonel.

His was a distinguished career of service to medicine and to the community with competence in clinical teaching and commercial matters, but with a compassion for others which was so evident in the quiet support he gave to those less privileged than himself.